The transition to sixth-generation (6G) mobile network marks a profound shift in the technological and societal landscape, one that goes far beyond a simple escalation in the amount of data being generated. As highlighted in the 6G4Society policy analysis, 6G introduces structural transformations in how data circulates, how responsibilities are distributed, how surveillance capabilities intertwine with questions of digital autonomy and how user tracking, identification, and behavioural inference are impacted by 6G intrinsic capabilities. Understanding these transformations as a network of interdependent dynamics is essential for translating 6G4Society policy recommendations into actionable guidance for industry. At the foundation of these transformations lie the 6G landscape characterised by hyper-distributed architectures, AI-native functionality, and pervasive sensing capabilities. Evidence gathered through citizen surveys, expert and policy makers interviews, and Smart Networks and Services Joint Undertaking (SNS JU) project analysis points to five priority risks: erosion of user agency, foreign access to EU data, discriminatory or opaque AI decisions, unclear responsibility across multi-vendor networks, structural tensions among stakeholders with diverging privacy interests, sensing and geolocalisation, privacy and security. These risks are not independent but mutually reinforcing: loss of user agency amplifies sensing-related intrusiveness; foreign access risks intensify accountability gaps; and opaque AI decisions compound existing asymmetries of power across the value chain. These insights underscore that the success of 6G will depend not only on technological progress but on embedding European values such as privacy, fairness, accountability, and sovereignty into its governance and design. Against this backdrop, this operational brief examines the central question: How can Europe safeguard privacy and fundamental rights as 6G networks become more data-intensive, AI-native, decentralised, and reliant on global supply chains? It proposes six main recommendations: 1. Integrate operational mechanisms strengthen user agency; 2. Reinforce EU data sovereignty vs foreign access to EU data and supply-chain exposure; 3. Embed accountability, oversight and transparency into AI-native network functions; 4. Ensure accountability across multi-vendor 6G Ecosystems; 5. Mitigate the societal risks of 6G Sensing and Positioning; 6. Promote organisational and engineering literacy through unified technical guidelines.
CyberSocial Lab. (Mon,) studied this question.